DISQUS

wordslinger · 1 year ago

For those who have an interest in seeing something, anything, done before the end of Saturday, the leisurely pace of the Rezko jury strikes me as quite a blessing.

Napoleon has left the building · 1 year ago

Rich

I know it's hard to get any info sometimes and you save the best details for subscribers, as you should and as I have said you should in the past, but it seems like your updates on the budget negotiations and the end of session issues are considerably less frequent than they were last year.

I keep checking the blog and there's nothing new on there. We know that something is happening, somewhere.

I'm not saying, I'm just saying.

Napoleon

Rich Miller · 1 year ago

You have a point, Napoleon, but right now the only thing that's going on is a budget deal that was pretty much wrapped up late last night. There really isn't much "happening" at the moment. Leaders meeting at 5:30, so we'll see then.

Anonymous · 1 year ago

Bill numbers, anyone? Have they changed?

Beerman · 1 year ago

Napoleon

If you hadn't left the building and stayed at the Capitol with the rest of us you would know what's going on. :)

If I know Miller he is running around with his head cut off trying to get the latest scoop. Either that or he's in Boone's drinking.

Rich Miller · 1 year ago

===If I know Miller he is running around with his head cut off trying to get the latest scoop===

Actually, I've been working on three stories unrelated to the end of session. The real budget stuff all gets done at night.

Rich Miller · 1 year ago

Anon 4:32, bill numbers for what?

jj · 1 year ago

Check out the House floor - Madigan is working it to tell members to vote against any capital bill that comes over from the Senate.

Why is he so stressed out? Maybe he knows the house Rs are ready to play ball and get a compromise bill done, and he is scared.

GA Watcher · 1 year ago

Rich:
Have you checked out Tom Roeser's column in today's Chicago Daily Observer ("The Agnew Solution to Rod Blagojevich")? It's posted under Icerocket. I know Roeser is an extremist, but wow!

jj · 1 year ago

why censor me? I don't say anything inappropriate or inaccurate...

Rich Miller · 1 year ago

GA Watcher, that scenario is logical and is often discussed at the Statehouse, but it's not a sure bet.

Rich Miller · 1 year ago

jj, you weren't censored. Plus, I don't censor. Governments censor. I moderate.

jj · 1 year ago

OK, sorry for the accusation, then.

Easy · 1 year ago

I'll tell you what's going--the Cubs just came back from a 9-1 deficit to win 10-9. TBTIB.
In addition, it looks like MJM is feeling significant heat from currie's comments earlier in the week that the chances for capital are nil.

jj · 1 year ago

Leaders meeting in 21 minutes!

Go Cross Go!

some former legislative intern · 1 year ago

jj, it wouldn't matter one bit if the R's were "ready to play ball and get a compromise bill done." What would MJM be scared of? If he doesn't like the bill, he won't call it. Duh. Seeing as a committee just approved it to send it to the floor (something that would not have happened if he hadn't given the thumbs up) it looks like he is going to give it a shot.

Like the rest of the Governor's defenders here, jj, you either have no experience in Illinois politics or are too committed to parroting the Governor's official line to have any real sense of what is taking place.

Beerman · 1 year ago

Personally I think MJM is doing a roll call on whether its pizza or chicken. :)

jj · 1 year ago

you are quite the comedian ... but apparently you learned nothing in your internship.

If Madigan doesn't call the bill, he is the one to blame for killing it.

He doesn't want to be to blame, he wants to blame everyone else for his own stubborness - The Governor, House Republicans, etc. House Dems even.

Stop your spin that Madigan actually wants a capital bill.

You would have understood his games if you were a House R intern.

Leigh · 1 year ago

I thought Roeser's column made a lot of sense. More than the end of this session which I believe will be Much Ado About Nothing, once again.

Rich Miller · 1 year ago

OK, everybody chill out. Last warning.

steve schnorf · 1 year ago

I'll take a chance here and make a prediction: the capital bill ain't going nowhere.

Truth in Accounting · 1 year ago

How can the legislature vote on legislation that will cost the taxpayers tens of billions of dollars by the end of tomorrow? I would think that they would want to spend time carefully reviewing the budget, before voting. Are they all speed-readers?

OneManBlog · 1 year ago

== community colleges and private universities would get $300 million apiece. ==

Why not give 600 million to the CCs and not a dime to private Universities.

As of August 31, 2006, Northwestern's endowment and other trust funds totaled approximately $5.9 billion.
Seems like they don't need any money from me.

IDOT Lifer · 1 year ago

Rich - Did the IDOT supplemental evr get approved? According to the GA website it is just floating around.

Anon · 1 year ago

I bet there's more wind blowing around in the basement of the Statehouse than there is outside.

Agent 99 · 1 year ago

My guess is MJM will call the capital bill. Roll calls are useful.

the ole precinct captain · 1 year ago

If they ars all in the basement does the open meetings act apply?

Bill · 1 year ago

Good question, OneMan! Can they vote in the basement?

some former legislative intern · 1 year ago

OK, jj, I could come back, but Rich has issued a warning so I will stick to policy points only.

If you look at my comments, I never suggested that MJM wanted a capital bill. I only said that 1) he has nothing to fear from Republicans "cutting a deal". If he doesn't want it, he wont call it. Or he'd amend it in such a way as to insure the Governor and Emil would never accept it. However, 2) clearly he is willing to let the House work his will because he allowed it to come out of committee.

I have constantly argued that the capital bill, in its current format, is bad public policy. It is Rod and Emil's Las Vegas "Pawn shopping" of Illinois. It relies on 1) a large expansion of gambling, the majority of the legislature not being a proponent of; and 2)the selling of a productive state asset, the lottery, where if passed only 20 cents of every future lottery dollar will be realized by the state and 80 cents will go to bondholders (with significant financial advisor fees going to friends of Rod).

That is bad government fiscal policy.

sparky · 1 year ago

i think the speaker can call a quorum anywhere he wants, right Rich?

Bill · 1 year ago

Steve,
You are probably right but what do you think of the proposed bill? I am not too fond of gambling expansion and I think the revenue projections are probably inflated but remember the feds are picking up almost 1/3 of the frieght.
As for the lottery, I forecast declining revenue for the lottery if it continues as is. A private will probably increase profits by various ways. Leasing it might just be a good move, fiscally.

weather · 1 year ago

tornado sighting from a trained spotter at 5th and cedar.... another front on its way from the west

Rich Miller · 1 year ago

weather, WMAY says no touchdown at that intersection based on iton-site reporting.

some former legislative intern · 1 year ago

Yes, I would be interested to hear Schnorf's evaluation of the capital bill myself. I think he was Edgar's Budget chief when I was an intern in 1994-95?

Bookworm · 1 year ago

Another storm to west near Jacksonville still has a tornado warning so be ready to head to the basement again if it holds together.

nick · 1 year ago

mr schnorf was budget chief thru ryan. he hired me and i was one of few to stick around under blago for a couple years.

anon · 1 year ago

So do you think they will recovene tonight?

Champaign Mike · 1 year ago

I’ll take a chance here and make a prediction: the capital bill ain’t going nowhere.

Steve, Why do you think so?

weather · 1 year ago

it appears the house is in session and has not canceled for the evening???

some former legislative intern · 1 year ago

I feel for you, Nick. Not the fact you worked under Edgar and Ryan, but the fact you stuck it out under Blago. And I am a Democrat.

As a former Budget staffer, what is your opinion of the capital bill? Any speculation on Madigan's preferences? Do you agree with jj's views?

Michael J. Almighty · 1 year ago

Rich, do you think they got my opinion on the Lottery Lease clearly enough?

some former legislative intern · 1 year ago

Stay safe, Rich. I know you are used to a lot of windy politicians, but this is something else entirely. What would I do without capital fax blog to avoid whatever it is I should be doing?

Speaking at Will · 1 year ago

Auntie Emil! Auntie Emil!

A Citizen · 1 year ago

Helloooooo Kansas !! Save Todo !

Muskrat · 1 year ago

So what will the governor, the speaker, and the senate president ask the wizard for once they get to Oz?

A Citizen · 1 year ago

A brain a heart and a check for $25,000 in food stamps.

nick · 1 year ago

former intern, i was only under ryan during the last few months and then blago for two years. actually i dont really consider myself a R or D...i just considered it a job. i enjoyed the work and just did what i was asked. i have not even looked at the current capital bill as i had enough of that stuff while i was there nor i have had the time.

Big Mama T · 1 year ago

This tornado is definitely a warning to not pass a capital bill. See, everybody knows you can't give Rod access to money without bad things occurring.

Bookworm · 1 year ago

Bad karma perhaps? Also, any guesses where Blago's "secure location" was during the tornado.

Arthur Andersen · 1 year ago

Rich, kidding aside, World HQ ok? Just emerged from the Panic Room and the Westside of the 'patch is intact.

To the post:

The capital bill is built on shaky foundations.

-There has not been a thoughtful examination of the long-term (as in to pay off bonds with) revenue stream from gaming in Illinois.

-The Lottery lease economic studies have never been released outside the GOMB. As Capt. Fax so directly observed yesterday, is this the group the taxpayers want to have the only look-see on a $10 billion deal?

-The State may inadvertently be doubling down on its own deal. Potential "lessors" of the Lotto include groups (sometimes called syndicates, or clubs, but AA doesn't like those terms of "Art")
of investment banks or private equity firms. Hmmm, who invests a lot of cash with private equity firms? Right. The State pension funds!

-The $10 billion number is another cause for concern, particularly in light of the secrecy of the financial documents. Last year, the sale or lease of 100% of the Lotto was projected to net $10 billion; a year later, lease of only 80% still gets the same $10 billion. Most people would agree that the deal didn't get 25% better in a year, so what gives?

-The use of borrowed public funds to pay for capital work at wealthy Northwestern is wrong. The use of the same for private, religious-affilated colleges is a lawsuit in the making, not that it hasn't happened before, but not $300 million a pop.

-An old (Cecil Partee kinda old) Senate Dem budget analyst used to say, "community colleges are like a**h****. Everybody has one." Perhaps that's why "everybody got their $300 million, but it's hard to see that the capital needs of brand-spankin' new Heartland CC in Bloom/Normal and Lincoln Land or a few of the older less pristine campuses are the same.

-Perhaps it's a multi-year program, but at %50k apiece, the school maintenance grant is roughly 3x too much for the number of school districts in Illinois.

Call AA old-fashioned, but that's how I see it.

Viva, Viva, Las Vegas · 1 year ago

What are the odds that Tony Rezko would stiff the Vegas Casinos for a few $100K, leading up to this 11th hour vote. Any chance he will be sitting in the Clark County Jail in NV, when the jury comes back here in Chicago?

The federal judge can control his voluntary out of state travel, but what happens if the Clark County Sherriff shows up here and gathers him up on the outstanding warrant?

Speaking at Will · 1 year ago

good work tonight rich!

Pot calling kettle · 1 year ago

To solve the capital bill problem, every citizen over 18 should commit to buying 7000 lotto tickets tomorrow. Problem solved.

If everyone then buys about 400 more, we close the gap in the operating budget.

(I'm figuring 50 cents on each lotto dollar.)

Happy to help, now everyone can go home.

Anon · 1 year ago

Prediction: No capital bill, no gaming expansion, no lottery lease, on fund sweep. Just passage of a way-too-big spending bill, with Rod likely being forced to pare down the budget to meet revenues via vetoes (Madigan's plan all along). Rod could end up signing the beast (no evidence he cares about actually governing), forcing a monster tax increase in the fall.

steve schnorf · 1 year ago

I've always thought that gaming should be an easy place to go for money. We already have it, so that argument against it is gone. People already gamble at race tracks, so adding slots isn't adding gambling anywhere it doesn't already exist. Once we have boats, what difference is there if we have 9 or 10 or 22?

Once there's a boat with 20 table games and 500 slots why do we care if there are a thousand slots? Whether you agree or not, you see my line of thought.

It isn't the gaming opponents that kill gaming expansion, it's the gaming industry people: they get greedy, and the bill keeps growing and growing until it collapses under its own weight.

Anyway, that's my thoughts on gaming as a funding source for a capital program (or any of the state's other needs).

Six Degrees of Separation · 1 year ago

Who has a complete list of capital projects covered by today's version of HB4723 (the Capital Bill?)

I've seen some partial lists like this article:

http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2008/05/30/n...

And the Elgin OHare project:

http://www.pioneerlocal.com/riverforest/news/97...